Suzuki Swift Sport Vs. VW Up! GTI Is A 251-HP Drag Race

Neither of these hot hatches will break the bank to put in your garage, but they'll still offer lots of fun from behind the wheel.

Top-tier performance cars aren't realistically affordable for many of us, but even if you don't have the cash for something truly exotic, there are far more budget-friendly vehicles out there that can still be a ton of fun. For Europeans, the Suzuki Swift Sport and Volkswagen Up GTI are two of the more affordable ways to have driving excitement without breaking the bank. In a new video, Top Gear challenges the inexpensive pair to a drag race to find the quicker one.

The Swift Sport enters this race with a power advantage. Under its tiny hood, there's a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 138 horsepower (103 kilowatts) and 170 pound-feet (230 Newton-meters) of torque. The output goes to the front wheels via a six-speed manual. It weighs in at 2,138 pounds (970 kilograms). Top Gear shows the Suzuki's base price as 17,999 pounds ($23,782 at current exchange rates).

The Up GTI is the cheaper of the two at just 13,750 pounds ($18,168). However, it's at a deficit in the rest of the specs. The three-cylinder turbocharged 1.0-liter has 113 hp (85 kW) and 148 lb-ft (200 Nm) that channels through a six-speed manual. The hot hatch tips the scales at 2,359 pounds (1,070 kg).